BARBADOS-ANTIGUA EXPEDITION 161 
fresh eggs, which were brought in by the farmers in the vicinity. 
Sweet potatoes, yams, rice, cornmeal and sugar were reason- 
able in price. Fruits, however, were scarce, and the supply 
of oranges and bananas, which were always to be had at Bar- 
bados, was exceedingly precarious here. A few watermelons 
were generously donated by Miss Gillie, who kept the Hotel 
Esperanza at St. Johns. There was one tropical product, how- 
ever, which was to be had in abundance, and that was the pine- 
apple, or ‘‘pine’’ as it is invariably called. These were simply 
delicious, the finest in flavor that we had ever tasted and they 
cost but nine cents each! We fairly revelled in them, and their 
abundance made up in large measure for the lack of oranges 
and bananas. We also secured a few avocados or ‘‘alligator 
pears’’ which, although very much relished by some of us, did 
not take well with others. The taste for them seems to be an 
acquired one with many people, although the writer has been 
exceedingly fond of them for many years and was delighted 
with the first that he enjoyed many years ago in Costa Rica. 
There was also a fruit called ‘‘cherries’’ which were tempt- 
ing to the eye, but not much of a favorite with us unless cooked 
and served as a sort of jam. They were not at all related to 
our cherries. We also were introduced to a ‘‘wild apple’’ 
which was not an apple at all. As a matter of fact, the only 
tropical fruits that can at all compare with our northern pro- 
ducts are the familiar orange, banana, and pineapple. No 
others that we encountered found general acceptance by our 
party, although certain ones were more or less enjoyed by eer- 
tain individuals. 
Twice a week supplies were brought out from St. Johns on a 
donkey cart. On other days they were brought in a huge basket- 
work tray on the head of a buxom girl. Sometimes the load 
weighed as much as sixty pounds. This was carried nearly 
twelve miles to the dockyard, and then the girl returned to St. 
Johns. Her compensation was the princely sum of seven pence 
(fourteen cents) per trip. This stipend was allowed her by 
the grocery firm with which we dealt, which showed the com- 
mercial enterprise to charge us a shilling (twenty-four cents) 
for the service. 
When we found it necessary to go to St. Johns on business, we 
